Yani Tseng

South Korean Jiyai Shin, already Rookie of the Year, could end Mexican Lorena Ochoa's hold on LPGA Player of the Year with a victory in Ochoa's own tournament this week. Ochoa, who has been the women's tour's Player of the Year for three straight seasons, trails the 21-year-old Shin by four points in the race for the award going into the limited-field Lorena Ochoa Invitational that starts here on Thursday at Guadalajara Country Club. "It has been a year with a little bit more ups and downs," said Ochoa, still the world number one and winner of three titles this year. "The great thing ... Read Full Story

South Korea's Bo Bae Song won the Mizuno Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, closing with a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory over top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, Brittany Lang and Hee Young Park. "Honestly I couldn't sleep last night because I was so nervous," said Song, the Japan Women's Open winner last month at Abiko. "I went to bed at 11 last night, but woke up around 3. Usually that doesn't happen." The 23-year-old Song finished at 15-under 201 at Kintetsu Kashikojima and earned $210,000 in the event co-sanctioned by the Japan LPGA. She's comfortable on the Japanese tour, making it ... Read Full Story

BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - U.S. Women's Open leader Choi Na-yeon, continuing a well-established trend of young players making their mark at majors, exuded confidence on Thursday in her quest to make her first LPGA Tour win a major. Choi shot a three-under-par 68 at the challenging Saucon Valley Old Course to lead world number one Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and 2007 champion Cristie Kerr by one stroke. The 21-year-old Choi has made a great start to her LPGA career -- posting nine top-10 finishes last year in her rookie season -- but is without a victory. Last year Yani Tseng of Taiwan, then 19, ... Read Full Story

World number one Lorena Ochoa enters the LPGA Championship after taking off nearly a month but the Mexican star is confident she can claim a third title in nine starts this year. Ochoa was the only player in the top-50 money winners who skipped last week's event. Since last playing in mid-May she took a brief break, pushed tourism for her homeland and worked with coach Rafael Alarcon. "It was actually a busy three weeks, but it was the right time to be at home, get good practice and be here 100 percent," Ochoa said. "I want to be 100 percent in the summertime ... Read Full Story

HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland (Reuters) - Swedish rookie Anna Nordqvist rolled in a 36-foot birdie putt on her last hole to grab a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock on Friday. The tall Swede began the sunny day one shot behind overnight leader Nicole Castrale, but leapfrogged the American by posting two-under-par 70 for an eight-under 136 total. Castrale climbed back from a stumbling start for even-par 72. Starting from the 10th, she double-bogeyed the par-three 12th and bogeyed 14 before rallying with three birdies. Australians Lindsey Wright and Katherine Hull were tied for third at six-under ... Read Full Story